Review: Lessons in childcare from around the world

Global Childhoods
Monica Edwards
Critical Publishing
ISBN 9781909682696
160 pages, £18

International Perspectives on Early Years Workforce Development
Verity Campbell-Barr and Janet Georgeson
Critical Publishing
ISBN 9781909682771
160 pages, £20

As someone who has worked on transnational projects and is now chief executive of a Dutch early years and childcare company, I read both of these books with interest.

The books are published in the series Critical Approaches to the Early Years, aimed at students and professionals working with or for children and their families. The series is designed to promote critical analysis and thought as well as demonstrating how theory translates to early years practice. The authors and editors want the reader to realise a more critical understanding of current practice and the beliefs that underpin pedagogical approaches while encouraging the reader to reflect on their own practice.

Global Childhoods examines how cultures, families and parents view childhood from an international perspective and the relationship between governments and children from early years through to education.

The second book looks at the early childhood education and care workforce across the globe. It also examines and challenges how different societies value - or undervalue - the early years profession.

Both books demonstrate how politics, policy and public funding influence approaches to early years, childcare, formal education and the workforce.

The books are well written in clear language. Each section begins with a graphic linking the chapter content. I found these visuals incredibly helpful.

Neither book is particularly long at around 160 pages. The authors therefore haven't been able to go into too much detail but both books provide suggestions for further reading.

I particularly liked the breadth of countries that the contributors have explored from here at home in the UK to Russia, Japan and other European countries. The books provide case studies and pose the critical questions that readers should be asking to develop learning.

I appreciate that the text of both books aims to provide early years and childcare students and practitioners with an understanding of current practice but I miss seeing photographs. The inclusion of some photographs of young children at play, learning with the support of a caring practitioner, would reiterate what the books are all about: that all children should have access to good-quality early education provided by a well-trained workforce.

Wherever we work, there are universal truths about the quality, availability and affordability of early education and childcare services. It is easy to cherry-pick elements from one country's system but what these books show is the importance of taking a rounded approach to key policy and practice issues. The challenges of giving every child a good start in life and supporting increasing parental employment are now common to all nations and we should learn more from each other to meet these challenges.

• Denise Burke is CEO of Smallsteps in the Netherlands